6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

[Mike D Texas]

I was going to try these:

6.5MM 142 GR HPBT MatchKing X (MKX)

Built for the modern hunter, the MatchKing X (MKX) delivers renowned Sierra MatchKing accuracy with optimized expansion for dependable terminal performance on game at extended distances.

sierrabullets.com

I considered doing the same for my wife’s 6.5x47 Lapua. She has a mule deer hunt in November and is currently shooting the 144LRHT. They performed just fine at 320 yards on a pronghorn, but in talking to the Sierra guys at WHE, they upset with a much shorter neck than the Bergers.

The BC sucks in comparison to the LRHTs though.

 

[swampy14]

Blackbuck antelope Ram shot with a tikka t3x in 6.5cm. Entrance hole is shown in the low armpit area. Quartering away about 100ish yd. Onside leg was broken. Tissue damage is the entrance side. Ran about 50yds
Federal fusion 140gr soft point. Unknown mv

 

[Aginor]

Keep an eye on Barnes Harvest. I wouldn't be surprised if they do it.

Good call

 

[Coopsdaddy]

Stumbled upon this stuff coming soon.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023062632?pid=904031

That will be worth trying in my 16 inch cm.

 

[Schmoops]

Good call

Looking at the ballistics tables on these vs the ELD-X….I’m correct in thinking it’s splitting hairs comparing them, yeah?

 

[Schmoops]

Looking at the ballistics tables on these vs the ELD-X….I’m correct in thinking it’s splitting hairs comparing them, yeah?

Price, availability, quality do come into play. The Barnes is ~$5 less per box than the Hornady. TBD on consistent availability. And my general sense is that overall Sierra has better QC than Hornady.

 

[craigrh13]

Best 6.5 CM factory ammo for whitetail shooting anywhere from 10-250 yards with most shots being 150 and under? I'll do a 200 yard zero. I realize any ammo will work within these short ranges but from what i've gathered some bullets will damn near blow up at close ranges. Can be thicker hunting if they leave the field or are in the swamp so blood trail would be ideal if they don't bang flop.

 

[TreeDog]

Best 6.5 CM factory ammo for whitetail shooting anywhere from 10-250 yards with most shots being 150 and under? I'll do a 200 yard zero. I realize any ammo will work within these short ranges but from what i've gathered some bullets will damn near blow up at close ranges. Can be thicker hunting if they leave the field or are in the swamp so blood trail would be ideal if they don't bang flop.

The Hornady American Whitetail Interlock or the newer version with the SST seem like they would be perfect for that.

 

[HNTR_NW]

Best 6.5 CM factory ammo for whitetail shooting anywhere from 10-250 yards with most shots being 150 and under? I'll do a 200 yard zero. I realize any ammo will work within these short ranges but from what i've gathered some bullets will damn near blow up at close ranges. Can be thicker hunting if they leave the field or are in the swamp so blood trail would be ideal if they don't bang flop.

I have had great luck with the 140 eldm and the 143eldx at close ranges- I have seen 20+ deer sub 200yds killed with both of those bullets, I have not seen one “blow up” and fail to penetrate sufficiently. Even at 2800+fps impacts lack of penetration has yet to be an issue. I am not saying it couldn’t happen.

I’m not sure a blowup without sufficient penetration from either of those bullets has been documented in this thread.

 

[Nine Banger]

I have had great luck with the 140 eldm and the 143eldx at close ranges- I have seen 20+ deer sub 200yds killed with both of those bullets, I have not seen one “blow up” and fail to penetrate sufficiently. Even at 2800+fps impacts lack of penetration has yet to be an issue. I am not saying it couldn’t happen.

I’m not sure a blowup without sufficient penetration from either of those bullets has been documented in this thread.

147 ELDM factory load would be good for those ranges too. They get sluggish for me at distance with my 18" barrel but for 250 yards and in who cares?

 

[HNTR_NW]

147 ELDM factory load would be good for those ranges too. They get sluggish for me at distance with my 18" barrel but for 250 yards and in who cares?

I agree, I have had great luck with that as well. Killed my bull last year with factory 147s out of my Creed. I would take that ammo and hunt anything in NA with it.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

147 ELDM factory load would be good for those ranges too. They get sluggish for me at distance with my 18" barrel but for 250 yards and in who cares?

They do get sluggish but the high BC they tend to equal out and sometimes win the further you go depending what you're comparing to.

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

New the federal tipped fusion should be good as well.

 

[BigMiss]

New the federal tipped fusion should be good as well.

I've killed the majority of my big game over the years with the regular fusions. They perform excellently on close range shots. I shot a WT doe frontal at about 10 yards with my .270 and a 150gr Fusion 3 years ago. I recovered the bullet in the offside back ham. Excellent bonded bullets that are nice and soft.

 

[BAKPAKR]

My daughter used a 139 gr Scenar out of her 6.5 Creedmoor last fall. The Scenar wasn’t nearly as destructive as the 147 gr ELDM but the deer didn’t go out of sight.

 

[omicron1792]

My daughter used a 139 gr Scenar out of her 6.5 Creedmoor last fall. The Scenar wasn’t nearly as destructive as the 147 gr ELDM but the deer didn’t go out of sight.

View attachment 1039386

Great deer!

 

[Aginor]

Wow, that's a nice buck

 

[TreeDog]

My daughter used a 139 gr Scenar out of her 6.5 Creedmoor last fall. The Scenar wasn’t nearly as destructive as the 147 gr ELDM but the deer didn’t go out of sight.

View attachment 1039386

Great buck for your daughter to get!

What’s your load and velocity with the scenars? Been thinking about trying them out

 

[BAKPAKR]

Great buck for your daughter to get!

What’s your load and velocity with the scenars? Been thinking about trying them out

2787 fps with RL26.

 

[H80Hunter]

I've had great terminal results with both the 147 ELDM and the 129 SST out of an 18" sig cross.

The 129 SSTs velocity is impressive out of the 18" barrel, I get 2825 fps from the superformance 129s and only 2475 fps out of the 147 ELDMs. All factory ammo.